Research

Introducing our research

Established in 1998, HEARD – the Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division – has a global reputation as a leading applied research centre that brings together interdisciplinary teams to solve complex health problems on the African continent. Innovation is driven by an epistemology that uses public health, policy analysis and health economics methods to tackle these complex issues. Our vision is to achieve health equity across the continent by meeting Africa’s current and future health challenges.

HEARD is a self-funded organisation based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) that conducts multi-level research and analysis on the social and structural determinants of health and health inequalities in Africa, especially the African HIV and AIDS pandemic. We seek to sustain a dynamic research agenda that reflects the changing African burden of disease and catalyses interdisciplinary and innovative work among key researchers across the continent and our international partners. Our agenda is creative and resourceful, focusing on the intersections of diverse investigator expertise and methods.

We have an Africa-wide mandate with research applicable across the region that impacts on regional policies and programmes. We collaborate with a range of partners, both locally and internationally, through established research and policy networks. Our research reflects a dedicated and dynamic engagement with Africa’s health challenges, as well as driving an agenda for emerging opportunities in the field of global health, both in Africa and globally.